2017 is already a banner year for solar in the United States. Following on record levels of deployment in 2016, the solar industry has been hitting a series of new records, with utility-scale solar costs falling below $1 per watt, power purchase agreements being reported at under $0.03 per kilowatt-hours, and the leading state, California, getting 13% of its electricity from solar on an annual basis. But at the same time that the solar industry is seeing these successes, there are new challenges. While the overall solar market continues to grow year-over-year, the national residential PV market declined in the first quarter of 2017, largely due to difficulties in California and the other largest markets. Some of this is due to political pushback, and the modifications to state-level implementation of the Public Utility Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) are in some cases closing off new state markets. This is to say nothing of the national political picture, where the Trump Administration has made moves to threaten renewable energy, including proposals to slash funding for support through the U.S. Department of Energy. But while Trump can’t stop the progress of solar, the challenges to integration of high levels of wind and solar are already showing in California, which is leading to new fights over not only solar, but the future of the grid. As such, at the opening ceremony 10th anniversary of Intersolar North America in San Francisco, the mood is decidedly combative. MC and California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro started the event with a social media audience participation exercise to put pressure on the California Assembly to pass SB 700, which would spur the creation of $1.4 billion in consumer rebates for energy storage systems. But as states such as California are grappling with what to do next, the divide between the actions of progressive states that are grappling with a changing grid and states that have turned their back on the Energy Transition are stark. 2017 Champion of Change Award Winner and New York State Energy Czar Richard Kauffman during his acceptance speech referenced a statement by early 20th century Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who described states as the “laboratories of democracy”. “There are states that are going forward, and there are states that are going in another direction,” noted Kauffman....

We can’t deny that the world’s climate is changing fast. The ice in Antarctica is melting, animals are going thirsty, plants are dying and heat is becoming deadly. With these circumstances happening, countries around the world are now taking their steps to make our world cleaner by using renewable energy with the Paris climate deal, and while President Trump does not fully support this deal, California and other western states are banding together to reduce carbon emissions and save hundreds of millions of dollars — and now a Canadian province will join them. British Columbia’s main electric utility said Tuesday it will join the Energy Imbalance Market, a California-led program that makes it easier for utilities to trade electricity across state lines. The energy-sharing program has allowed solar and wind farms across the West to boost production, displacing planet-warming fossil fuels. The initiative also has saved western utility customers $174 million since 2014, according to the California Independent System Operator, which runs the imbalance market. Right now, California utilities rely on climate-polluting natural gas to support renewable energy, firing up gas plants when solar farms shut down in the evening. BC Hydro joining the imbalance market won’t solve that problem — far from it — but its hydro plants could help California save a little more afternoon solar power for use at night. President of the California Independent System Operator, Stephen Berberich said “”I get my inspiration from Germany. I watch how they’re operating with Norway in particular, and using that Norway hydro fleet to help Germany integrate their renewables.” The western energy-sharing program isn’t the first time California and Canada have worked together to fight climate change. Since 2014, the Canadian province of Quebec has participated in the Golden State’s cap-and-trade system, a market-based program that forces climate polluters to pay for their emissions. Ontario joined earlier this year, and has been selling pollution permits at joint auctions with California and Quebec. As the California grid operator announced its partnership with BC Hydro on Tuesday, Trump still hadn’t taken a position on the Paris climate accord, the historic agreement struck by nearly 200 countries in 2015. The president promised on the campaign trail to “cancel” the international climate deal, but so far he’s delayed a decision on whether to leave or remain. Whatever Trump decides on Paris, his...

2017 is already a banner year for solar in the United States. Following on record levels of deployment in 2016, the solar industry has been hitting a series of new records, with utility-scale solar costs falling below $1 per watt, power purchase agreements being reported at under $0.03 per kilowatt-hours, and the leading state, California, getting 13% of its electricity from solar on an annual basis. But at the same time that the...

We can’t deny that the world’s climate is changing fast. The ice in Antarctica is melting, animals are going thirsty, plants are dying and heat is becoming deadly. With these circumstances happening, countries around the world are now taking their steps to make our world cleaner by using renewable energy with the Paris climate deal, and while President Trump does not fully support this deal, California and other western states are...

We all know how fast Chinaâ€™s solar growth is, at the end of 2010, China had just 800 MW of solar capacity installed within its borders, but by the end of 2015, the number skyrocketed 50 times â€” thatâ€™s 43,500 MW in total, the largest installed solar base of any country in the world. Seeing this improvement China did, researchers from Stanford University said in a new report â€œthe U.S. should capitalize on Chinaâ€™s formidable...

An announcement about the initiative which is called Clean Energy Standard was made by Governor Andrew Cuomo to tell the people that the New York State Public Service Commission already approved the initiative that will require 50 percent of the stateâ€™s electricity to come from renewable energy sources by the year 2030. A report issued from Cuomoâ€™s office stated that the initiative will rely on renewable energy sources such as...

The use of solar energy is increasing rapidly. Many more solar projects are coming more public buildings are making the decision to install it on their roofs. But even though the use of solar power increased rapidly, many more unused opportunities still exist and waiting to be used. Clean Energy Community Foundation has stimulated such practices within the state for years. Environmental centers,Â schools, and other public facilities...

A new guide has been published by US Solar Energy Industries Association for landowners that are = interested in leasing their land for use by solar developers. The guide covers the important aspects of how to work with a solar developer, from initial site visit to lease finalization. See the guide HERE. SEIAâ€™s interim president Tom Kimbis said â€the solar industry is committed to full understanding of solar by consumers, including...